Prelude:
Does the Sikh past interact with and influence the Sikh present? This is a question we Sikhs confront on a daily basis. Of the multiple parasitical alien besiegers and internal factions besetting Sikhi, this query has become their primary weapon with which to beat the drum of Sikh non-existence with i.e. the Sikhs do not have their own independent identity/philosophical existence and are some outmoded appendage from times long past.
The hair-splitting this generates has become more tendentious in the past few years as self-proclaimed Sikh modernists cast unjustifiable doubt on the entire Sikh past in a bid to alter the faith’s praxis to conform to their own hyper-liberalism. Suddenly we have the very existence of the Gurus being questioned as well as significant events associated with their incumbency.
While in the past Sikh intellectual stalwarts went to great pains to highlight how Sikh history emanates from Sikhi as an ideology, our current crop of alleged academics and preachers are more or less ivory tower intellectuals languishing atop political fiefs and past laurels.
Facts:
‘Facts speak for themselves.’ Actually, they don’t. The epochal historian E.H. Carr saliently observed that ‘facts are made to speak by historians’ but otherwise languish in a dismal purgatory until needed. Those who believe that facts speak for themselves are conceding too much responsibility. What makes Guru Gobind Singh’s rapid fording of the flooded Sirsa historical and not any other individual’s? Was the Sirsa not forded before ever in a storm? Why are those events not recorded as presciently as the tenth Guru’s crossing? We select the fact that the Guru was an especial paragon of virtue. A principled commander warring against religious tyranny and political totalitarianism. Put simply, the individual informs the necessity and sanctity of the event. This interrelation of human agency and inspiration from the past to progress onwards is commented upon in the Guru Granth,
ਬਾਬਾਣੀਆ ਕਹਾਣੀਆ ਪੁਤ ਸਪੁਤ ਕਰੇਨਿ ॥
ਜਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੁ ਮੰਨਿ ਲੈਨਿ ਸੇਈ ਕਰਮ ਕਰੇਨਿ ॥
ਜਾਇ ਪੁਛਹੁ ਸਿਮ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਸਾਸਤ ਬਿਆਸ ਸੁਕ ਨਾਰਦ ਬਚਨ ਸਭ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਕਰੇਨਿ ॥
ਸਚੈ ਲਾਏ ਸਚਿ ਲਗੇ ਸਦਾ ਸਚੁ ਸਮਾਲੇਨਿ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਆਏ ਸੇ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ਭਏ ਜਿ ਸਗਲੇ ਕੁਲ ਤਾਰੇਨਿ ॥੧॥
“The tales of the righteous elders make the youth pure and wise. If they accept the truth (Satgur) within their minds then they only do that which is virtuous. You may go and inquire from the Simritees, the Shastras, Beas, Suk and Narad who preach to the world at large. But only those individuals accept the truth who allow it to transform them and then immerse them within itself. Nanak says that the coming of such individuals is welcomed by their Maker and their forebears are redeemed as well.”
-Guru Granth, 951.
The necessity of history in Sikhi and the Sikh praxis lies in the fact that it transmits the lessons of the past to the present and retains the ability to inspire a dignified and moral life. Otherwise history is rendered a chronology of lifeless facts selected on the historian’s whim which detail times elapsed long past but offer no holistic interconnectivity between the heir and their heirloom. It should be noted that the most effective leaders and military services today emphasize the necessity of reading and researching the past in a bid to emulate the lessons learnt and passed on by individuals from another time. Obviously it is easy to adopt the Nehruvian maxim (currently favored by Upgrades) that ‘times have changed.’ Times might change but not the lessons of life. As history is predominantly written down, the legendary Marine Commander Jim Mattis remarks:
‘Reading is an honor and a gift from a warrior or historian who-a decade or a thousand decades ago-set aside their time to write.’
Why is this chronicling of history important? Mattis observes that it prevents current generations from making the mistakes of the past generations. As a Marine warrior leading other Marines into battle in Iraq he argued that Coalition forces needed to win the approval of the Iraqis and enroll them in their nation-building efforts. He backed-up his arguments with references to Xenophon (d. 354 BC) pointing out that the Greek Commander led 10,000 men into Mesopotamia but only to realize that the hostile Mesopotamian non-combatants outnumbered him and he had to win their hearts-and-minds before they slaughtered him.
Comprehending Historic Facts From a Sikh Perspective:
Similarly, in the Sikh praxis history is important for the lessons it gives us and how it informs our present conduct. The added incentive here is also that it emanates from the Sikhs’ firm conviction that their beliefs are in consort with the Divine Will (Hukam) and by default they are right. In a world stultified by religion, exploitative Pujaris and tyrannical structures they are required by faith and necessity to uphold their convictions with dignity and cultivate a lifestyle which is morally superior from that of others. Take for example the life of the legendary martyr Taru Singh. He was trenchantly opposed to the Hindu-Islamist power combine and conformed to Gurbani’s injunction:
ਹੁਣਿ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੋਆ ਮਿਹਰਵਾਣ ਦਾ ॥
ਪੈ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਕਿਸੈ ਰਞਾਣਦਾ ॥
ਸਭ ਸੁਖਾਲੀ ਵੁਠੀਆ ਇਹੁ ਹੋਆ ਹਲੇਮੀ ਰਾਜੁ ਜੀਉ ॥੧੩॥
“The Benevolent Creator has uttered the command, let all conflict cease and none go to harm another. Let all abide in harmony now that such a benign reign has commenced.”
-Guru Granth, 74.
The erstwhile 19th century chronicler Ratan Singh Bhangu relates that Taru Singh was a firm Sikh opposing both Hindu and Islamic doctrines. This earned him many foes. One day he happened upon Khalsa warriors recovering from a battle. Befriending these brothers in faith he led an expedition to liberate innocent women from rapacious Islamist governors who he slew in the process. As a result, he was arraigned and brought to Lahore where he was continually tortured to surrender his faith by the Hindu duo of Jaspat Rai and Lakhpat Rai. Refusing, he was scalped and subsequently died. Why is Taru Singh’s martyrdom a fact of Sikh history? Because it reflects three significant points:
(a) The practising Sikh or Khalsa envisions themselves as the citizen, upholder and warrior of Guru Nanak’s ਰਾਜੁ ਜੋਗੁ -the welding of temporal dominance and spiritual pre-eminence.
ਗਾਵਹਿ ਕਪਿਲਾਦਿ ਆਦਿ ਜੋਗੇਸੁਰ ਅਪਰੰਪਰ ਅਵਤਾਰ ਵਰੋ ॥
ਗਾਵੈ ਜਮਦਗਨਿ ਪਰਸਰਾਮੇਸੁਰ ਕਰ ਕੁਠਾਰੁ ਰਘੁ ਤੇਜੁ ਹਰਿਓ ॥
ਉਧੌ ਅਕ੍ਰੂਰੁ ਬਿਦਰੁ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵੈ ਸਰਬਾਤਮੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਜਾਣਿਓ ॥
ਕਬਿ ਕਲ ਸੁਜਸੁ ਗਾਵਉ ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਾਜੁ ਜੋਗੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਮਾਣਿਓ ॥੪॥
“Kapildas sings of Joges(w)ar who he believes to be the true Avatar. Jamd(a)gan and his son Parsuram sing of the one they believe to be infinite. Akrur and Bidar sing of the one they deem to be the soul of all. But Kalh sings only of Guru Nanak who has shown us the way ofਰਾਜੁ ਜੋਗੁ .”
-Guru Granth, 1389.
And,
ਨਾਨਕਿ ਰਾਜੁ ਚਲਾਇਆ ਸਚੁ ਕੋਟੁ ਸਤਾਣੀ ਨੀਵ ਦੈ ॥
“Nanak established his sovereignty on the foundations of truth.”
-Guru Granth, 966.
(b) Freedom of conscience is the divine mainstay of all human beings and it is better to shed one’s life than to allow it to be suppressed as it is the ultimate freedom which can be infringed upon.
ਏਤੀ ਮਾਰ ਪਈ ਕਰਲਾਣੇ ਤੈਂ ਕੀ ਦਰਦੁ ਨ ਆਇਆ ॥੧॥
ਕਰਤਾ ਤੂੰ ਸਭਨਾ ਕਾ ਸੋਈ ॥
ਜੇ ਸਕਤਾ ਸਕਤੇ ਕਉ ਮਾਰੇ ਤਾ ਮਨਿ ਰੋਸੁ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
“The cowards make their Conscience the first casualty of conflict. They feel no grief at the calamity befalling them and their fellows. You, the true Maker, are the Providence which provides for all. When one comprehends this fact, they become powerful. When another power attacks such a powerful individual, then the target does not fear the aggressor in their minds for they have become as equally powerful.”
-Guru Granth, 360.
(c) Life is a war against oneself. Against one’s own vices and cowardice. To surmount these innate failings is one of the primary aims of the Sikh life. The acceptance of death, the greatest of all fears, is expected of every Sikh.
ਮਰਣੁ ਨ ਮੰਦਾ ਲੋਕਾ ਆਖੀਐ ਜੇ ਕੋਈ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਣੈ ॥੨॥
ਮਰਣੁ ਮੁਣਸਾ ਸੂਰਿਆ ਹਕੁ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਹੋਇ ਮਰਨਿ ਪਰਵਾਣੋ ॥
“If the masses were enlightened they would not vilify death as an evil. True death is the prerogative of valorous heroes; such deaths are appealing to their Maker.”
-Guru Granth, 579.
Death in the pursuit of perfection and doing one’s ethical and morally just duty (they would not vilify death as an evil) is accepted by our Maker.
Taru Singh’s martyrdom and the inspiration he derived for it from within the Guru Granth has inspired countless generations of Sikhs, non-Sikhs and martyrs following him. His resolve bequeaths the virtue of non-concession while confronting tyranny of any form.
Of The False And The Trivial:
Ernst Bloch, in his Das Prinzip Hoffnung vol.iii, remarks that regards history
‘the true genesis is not in the beginning but in the end.’
The ultimate adjudgment of any historical event can only be provided when the influence of that event becomes visible. While the lead-up to any event is necessary, it is our ultimate reaction to it which decides how important it is. At times one singular event solidifies the connotations attached to our name. Caesar crossed the Rubicon to become Rome’s singular figure of authority but proved inapt in seeing the resentment brewing among his own ranks. Contrastingly, the tenth Guru forded Sirsa and though he lost his family emerged victorious in ensuing conflicts and still inspires countless individuals worldwide. Caesar’s life has become a byword against treachery and the intoxication of power; the tenth Guru’s emerges as a shining beacon as human civilization regresses into decadence. Upon both their deaths their influence upon posterity became evident.
On the other hand history is also subject to the vagaries of chroniclers and historians themselves. A glaring bone of discontent among Sikh scholars and Sikh Pujaris, among many other things, is the Devi mythos that did the tenth Guru manifest or not manifest some archaic and antiquated deity prior to ratifying the Khalsa of Guru Nanak? This event is mentioned in the below contemporary/near contemporary sources:
1.) The Rehitnamah of Gurbaksh Chibber.
2.) The Banasavalinamah of Kesar Chibber the son of Gurbaksh Chibber.
3.) The Rehitnamah of Chaupa Singh who was an associate of the Chibbers.
4.) Sarup Das Bhalla’s Mahima Prakash.
5.) Koer Singh’s Gurbilas Patshahi 10th.
6.) Sukha Singh’s version of the Gurbilas Patshahi 10th.
Sikhi’s emphasis on the truth disallows the Sikhs from blindly accepting any historic text thrust upon them as the Pujaris antithetically do. A close study of the aforementioned 6 sources reveals:
The Chibbers and Chaupa probably met at Anandpur and were Brahmins whose families had opportunistically converted to Sikhi. They were infuriated by Sikhi’s emphasis on dismantling caste and wished to acquire some form of priestly dominance in Sikh circles. Unable to openly defy the tenth Guru, they resorted to injecting fantastic falsities in their histories. This mythologizing served as a convenient medium through which to fool the incredulous. While arguments are made that these tales were designed to convert Hindus to Sikhi, one really has to wonder that did such subterfuge work in the long run? The later three chroniclers (Sarup, Koer and Sukha) had direct access to the prior three works and copied them though with little variation. The end result is that even today sections of Sikhs foolishly believe that some deity was manifested prior to the ratification of the Khalsa. The evidence against this, though, is telling given that it too is contemporary/near contemporary:
1.) The Sri Gur Sobha of Sainapati makes no mention of this falsity and reports that the Guru forbade the worship of all deities and demons.
2.) The Sri Gur Katha of Shahid Bhai Jiwan Singh (Jaita) observes that the Guru explicitly forbade all forms of fire worship practiced by Pujaris in an attempt to manifest such deities on the grounds they were charades and dismissed all deities as being false.
3.) No contemporary Hukamnamah of the Guru makes mention of such an elaborate event.
4.) No historic tradition in and around Anandpur mentions this supposed spectacle.
5.) The Parchian of Sewa Das, another contemporary, mentions the Guru conferring with astrologers but makes no mention of such a conspicuous event.
6.) The works of Bhai Nand Lal record the words of the tenth Guru that he will manifest his reign through the Khalsa but once again, the Devi is tellingly absent from this relation.
7.) The Dasam Granth makes no mention of such a manifestation.
8.) The so-called Sarbloh Granth is equally mum.
9.) The Amarnamah of contemporary Dhadi Nath Mal explicitly mentions the Guru’s forbidding of deity worship chief among them being the Devi.
10.) The Rehitnamah of Bhai Prahlad Singh is equally silent.
11.) A deed in the Guru’s own hand dated to 1679 mentions the term Khalsa and is signed off as Gobind Singh. This disproves both the Chibbers’ assertion that the name Singh was given to the Guru and the Khalsa by Devi in 1698-1699.
The ending interpretation taken from acceptance of the Devi incident exacerbates religiosity antithetical to Sikhi. The ending interpretation taken from the contrary evidence meanwhile augments faith in the validity of the Guru Granth. Which genesis will you, our reader, accept? The genesis of obsolete ritualism or the genesis of conviction and responsibility that the Khalsa is only under the Command of the Divine Creator and none other? Karamjit K. Malhotra makes evident that the sources which articulate the Devi mythos as being true are also riven with internal inconsistency with their creators continually emphasizing belief in one Creator and not Devi. It seems that even at the time of their creation they were defined by controversy and not accepted by a majority of Sikhs.
Conclusion:
So what should be our big take way here? Let us remember that the Gurus articulated and emphasized a fact-based progressive view of history which influences and inspires while dismissing haphazard mythologizing and immersion solely in trivial details. In today’s time when the Pujaris and Upgrades battle to alter Sikh history for their own agenda, we must revert to basics and reanalyze our heritage to preserve and protect it while not losing sight of the fact that our past is only important insofar as it informs our current conduct as Sikhs. After all, the personification of the Guru Granth is to be found in our past and nowhere else. Will it inspire us? The choice is ours and not another's.